


That’s what you get for waking up in Vegas

by tiggertink08



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Multi, Possible Polly?, Seriously it hurts, Unexpected Surprises, What Happens In Vegas..., adult miraculous characters, neglectful fathers, oh the angst, viva las vegas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-11-02 08:49:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20689229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiggertink08/pseuds/tiggertink08
Summary: The gang takes a trip to Vegas to celebrate the end of university and Alya and Nino’s upcoming wedding.Marinette and Adrien learn that what happens in Vegas, doesn’t always stay there.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye. So instead of working on the three open fics I have currently that all are due for updates, my brain’s been on an kick with even more AUs and possible stories. Smh.  
This one in particular wouldn’t let me go easily, and for once, I’ve actually written a pretty big chunk of the story ahead of time instead of my usual method of writing each chapter when I decide to post again.  
So far, it’s looking like it’s going to be a long one, but Part 1 is finished and I’m already working on Part 2, so I’d say you can maybe expect regular updates on this one? We’ll see lol. Also, I’m trying not to spoil anything, but I’ll try to make the tags as accurate as possible.  
I hope you guys enjoy this story. It’s been fun to write so far!

**Part 1**

* * *

"And I said, 'OKURRRRRR!!' " Alya exclaimed as she wiggled her sparkling ring finger at the phone camera. On the other end of the call, Adrien and Marinette sat side by side, cracking up at their friends antics.

"Congratulations you two!" Marinette finally said, wiping away tears. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks!" Nino replied, pulling his fiancé's hand out of the way so he could eye his friends. "Of course, Adrien, I can't get married without my best bro."

"And you're my maid of honor, Marinette. Naturally." Alya winked at her best friend, who made heart hands at her. 

"We'll be coming back for the wedding of course, we both want to get married in Paris. But, I'm going to be stuck here recording and touring for a while," Nino continued. "We're scheduled to be in Vegas a few weeks after you guys finally finish school, I thought it'd be a good time for you to come visit. We could have a kind of combo celebration."

After finishing lycée, Nino had been signed with a record label to produce a solo album, while the rest of the group went off to university. The album's success eventually lead to a collaboration with an American group, and he had recently moved across the Atlantic to California to work on it. Alya had gone to visit him before their last semester, and he had apparently proposed. 

Marinette and Adrien glanced at each other from the corner of their eyes before looking away while they both scrambled for an answer, wishing they could just consult their kwamis. Could they afford to leave the country right now? Even if just for a couple of days? 

Hawkmoth had become increasingly less active over the last couple of years. It was to be hoped he was giving up on his wish to secure the Ladybug and Black Chat miraculous, but who was to say for sure? They wouldn't be able to retire their own miraculous until they had recaptured Hawkmoth's in any case.

They still had almost six months before the proposed trip. Perhaps by then it would all be over. 

"Uh, yeah..." Marinette said, slowly, drawing the words out, unwilling to commit outright. "Sounds like fun!"

"Yeah, fun," Adrien agreed. "As long as I don't have a photo shoot or anything at the time, I guess? It's just before summer though, we'll probably be ramping up campaigns for the season. But yeah..."

Alya and Nino were both silent for a beat, staring at their friends through the camera. "Are you serious?" Alya said finally. "Nino and I are engaged! And we'll all finally be graduated! We _have_ to celebrate! And Adrien, you can tell your dad to fuck off. It's one weekend. If he wants you to do a shoot, he can schedule it before or after. How many chances will you ever have to come to Vegas? It's fucking _Las Vegas_!"

The pair chuckled nervously, giving the couple a half-smile, half-grimace. "Yeaaaaah. Totally,"

After a few more minutes of discussing the details of the proposal and their plans for the holidays, the quartet said their goodbyes and disconnected the video call. With a sigh, Adrien and Marinette both fell back against Mari's chaise where they'd been sitting to take advantage of the better lighting in her bedroom.

They'd come a long way since they first met in college. For starters, After finally deciding to try and move past her nearly debilitating crush back when she was about 16, Marinette had finally managed to get over the stutter that had dominated her interactions with Adrien in the beginning of their relationship. With that barrier gone, their conversations and communication flowed much more easily, and they were both able to discover just how amazing the other was, forming a close friendship.

She still hadn't let go of her feelings for him entirely, but her crush was more of a dull, distant ache now than the sharp, all consuming feeling it had once been. They had a good thing going, she didn't want to ruin it. Besides, over the last few years, as her partner, Chat Noir, began to mellow out, losing most of the impetuous, overly flirtatious attitude he had once had, she had started to develop a bit of a crush on _him_ instead. Ironically enough, when she had finally started to see him differently, he seemed to have set his sights on someone else as well.

Adrien would always love his lady. This he knew with a certainty. But, over time, and after enough rejections, he'd finally started to understand that she wasn't interested in him the same way he was her. 

With that realization, and the shift in his friendship with Marinette, he'd begun to see his friend in a new light. She was so similar to Ladybug in so many ways. She was brave, and kind, and smart. Generous with herself and her time, willing to help anyone and everyone who needed it. He couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before.

Of course, Marinette wasn't interested in him that way either. Not that he felt he deserved her after overlooking her for so long. He certainly seemed to have a thing for strong, independent women, though.

"Well...." Marinette said after a moment. "That was..."

"Totally expected?"

"Yeah, definitely not a surprise." The pair shared a laugh. 

"I'm only surprised he didn't ask sooner," Adrien said. "He showed me the ring when he bought it months ago."

"Eh, well, you know Alya. She has a flair for the dramatic. Naturally Nino would wait for an opportunity to give her the epically extra proposal she dreamed of."

According to the story Alya told them a few moments ago, Nino had pulled out all the stops. Taking her to an early dinner at a swanky restaurant in LA, limousine escort around town, ending with a sunset stroll on the beach before he finally got down on one knee. 

"For sure," Adrien laughed. "So, I guess we'll be in the wedding together. Think Alya will ask you to design her dress?"

Marinette scoffed. "I should hope so. I've only waited my entire life for this. Why else do you think I went to design school?" She smirked at Adrien, who grinned back at her. 

"I don't doubt it. I can't wait to see what you come up with for you final showcase. Father's volunteered me to walk in the men's fashion portion of the show, (never mind that I have my own finals to prepare for) so I expect we'll be seeing a lot of each other over the next few months."

"Even more so if we're to be helping Nino and Alya plan a wedding, I expect." Marinette chuckled.

"Very true." Adrien smiled, taking a moment to admire the way her eyes lit and her cheeks flushed with excitement. "Anyways, I should get going. Father's got me scheduled for a last minute holiday shoot in the morning and it's getting late."

"Ok. You coming for dinner this week?"

"Yeah. I got to double check my schedule again, but should be fine."

"Great! Don't forget to ask your father about Christmas dinner." She placed her hand on his arm, giving it a light squeeze. "I don't mean to speak ill of your family, but I hate to think of you spending yet another holiday all by yourself. We'd love to have you."

Adrien's chest tightened as warmth spread through him at her invitation. Marinette and her family, as well as the rest of his close friends, had always been so welcoming to him, yet, even after all these years, it still touched him deeply whenever they showed such care for him. 

"Thank you. I certainly will." He paused, looking down at her. "Hell, even if he says no, I'll still come. It's not like he ever bothers to show up anymore anyways."

He tried to shrug off the overwhelming feeling of loneliness that such thoughts of his father always brought, attempting to sound casual. Even to his own ears though, the words fell flat, his voice thick with emotion. 

Marinette gave his arm another squeeze before pulling him into a hug. Immediately, he melted into her, leaning down to wrap his arms around her petite frame and bury his nose in her sweet smelling hair. 

What he had ever done to deserve friends like her, he would never know. Though he was eternally grateful. 

After a minute, he felt her pull back and reluctantly released her. "I'll see you later Mari."

"Bye Adrien."

* * *

The holidays passed by in a blur. As promised, Adrien joined Marinette and her parents for Christmas dinner after being informed that his father would be too busy to spend the evening with him. Alya returned from America, with Nino in tow, just into time to spend the day with their families, and the group of friends reunited briefly the day after before Nino had to return.

Immediately, Alya enlisted Marinette's help to plan a wedding in early June after learning Nino's touring would conclude shortly after the show in Vegas. Their trip to America would now serve as a sort of combined bachelor/bachelorette party for the bride and groom and their maid of honor and best man, before having a larger celebration when they returned to Paris, just before the wedding.

It was a lot of work to do on top of their school work for their final semester, but they somehow managed to get it done. Marinette attributed it to the unusual luck she'd been blessed with ever since becoming Ladybug nearly eight years ago, when they were able to book Alya's first choice for venue after another couple cancelled. And again as each detail of the wedding seemed to fall seamlessly into place. 

By the time the end of the semester rolled around, both girls were stressed out to the max, but beyond excited for all the new and fun things that awaited them after graduating. Marinette's collection in the senior showcase was a massive success and she found herself being courted by several design houses, including Gabriel Fashions. Knowing she wouldn't have to worry about finding a job in a few weeks was a tremendous relief. 

Alya's exams and her final journalism project were equally successful, and she had managed to land a position with a local media outlet in the city before finals had even begun. Adrien, though also stressing and nearly running on empty between studying, fittings for the senior fashion show, and the odd photoshoot his father still managed to rope him into, was still able to pull good scores in his international business courses. 

He, of course, already had a job lined up with his father's company after finishing school. He'd largely quit modeling several years ago when he'd grown too tall and muscular to fit the typical male model profile, but his father was reluctant to entirely release his hold on the brand's most recognizable face.

All around, the future looked incredibly bright for all four of the friends, and each stop on Nino's tour generated more and more buzz. He'd already signed a deal for another album and would begin working on it once his current obligations were fulfilled. 

As Marinette, Adrien and Alya loaded onto the airplane, first class seats courtesy of Adrien, they were all exhausted from months of nonstop work. They each settled into their comfy, reclining seats and promptly fell asleep as the plane took off. They woke a few hours later, when the in-flight meal was served, and were now buzzing with excitement for their trip. The rest of the flight was spent in animated conversation, as they discussed their plans for the weekend, and the upcoming wedding.

* * *

The driver that had picked them up at the airport dropped them off at the main entrance to the Bellagio. While he unloaded their bags from the trunk, the three of them stood gawking at the enormous overhang with coffered ceiling and curved glass skylight. They continued gawking as they entered the front doors and were saw the beautiful, colored glass flowers hanging from the ceiling in the lobby. They weren't the only ones. Several tourists just like them were standing around the large space, staring spellbound at the ceiling, while other guests moved around them. 

A familiar chuckle greeted them as Nino approached with a wide grin. He spread his arms wide, "Welcome to Viva Las Vegas, baby!"

Alya squealed and threw herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist as he caught her and attacked his mouth. A few people gave them disapproving looks, while others smiled knowingly at the public display. Adrien and Marinette coughed to cover their laughs as they looked around the lobby for a moment to give them some semblance of privacy. 

When Alya finally let him go, Nino approached and gave them both a hug, gesturing to one of the hotel's staff to grab their bags. "Come on, I already got you guys checked in. I'll show you to your rooms so you can change and rest up a bit; I have to be back at the arena in about half an hour to finish prepping for tonight's show."

He lead them through the hotel to the elevators, which took them up several floors. Leading them down the hallway, he stopped in front of a door and pulled out envelopes with room keys from his pocket. Handing one to both Adrien and Marinette, he gestured to the doors next to the one he stood in front of. 

"You guys are in those two, I think they're adjoining, and Alya and I are here, so we're all next to each other. The band's assistant hooked you all up with backstage passes for tonight's show; a car should be here to pick you up out front around seven. There should be plenty of food and drinks backstage, so I wouldn't worry about dinner, but since the show's still a few hours away, you might wanna order something up for lunch now."

"Cool, sounds good. Thanks Nino!" Marinette grinned. Looking at the number on her envelope, she moved to the next door down and inserted her key. The bellhop followed after Alya had taken her bags, and Marinette grabbed her suitcase and tote before finally stepping inside. 

She stopped in her tracks as soon as she entered the room, the door closing behind her with a click. Her tote and purse fell to the floor as she slowly stepped further into the room, eyes roving over the space in front of her. It was the nicest room she'd ever stayed in by far. 

Plush patterned carpet that matched the gold wallpaper. A massive bed covered in white sheets and fluffy down pillows. A big, sleek looking bathroom sat to her right as she entered the room, and floor-to-ceiling curtains framed a large window that looked out over the hotel's famous water fountain and the Vegas strip. 

She didn't realize she'd approached the window until she nearly bumped into it. "Wow," she breathed, staring down at the streets below where cars and people milled about like little ants. She spotted a bit of red from the corner of her eye and knew Tikki was checking out the view as well. 

"Can you believe we're really here Tikki?"

The little kwami shook her head. "It's beautiful. I've never been to America before!"

A flash of doubt moved through her mind. "Are you sure this was a good idea? Leaving Paris? I know it was only for a few days, but-"

"Marinette," Tikki floated in front of her chosen's face. "You've been Ladybug nonstop for the last eight years. You deserve a break! Hawkmoth hasn't been active for a while, and if something does happen while you're gone, Master Fu has other miraculous he can use to keep things under control."

"Yeah, but I'm the only one who can purify an akuma!"

"Maybe, but once Hawkmoth realizes you and Chat Noir aren't coming, he'll likely pull back the akuma on his own. There's not much point in setting one loose if he can't get his prize."

"But they could still cause damage. People could get hurt, and I won't be there to put things back to rights!"

"The police and doctors and nurses can take care of Paris' citizens. You'll only be gone for four days. When you get back,_ if_ anything has happened, you can fix things then. I think the people of Paris will understand if their heroes take a vacation now and then."

Marinette sighed, trying to push her concern aside. If Tikki wasn't worried, she shouldn't be either. She opened her mouth to reply when the door between her room and the next was suddenly thrown open. Tikki ducked behind the curtains as Adrien burst in, face lit with excitement. 

"Mari! Have you seen this view?! It's amazing!" He rushed over to join her at the window, practically pressing his face into the glass like a child in a sweet shop. She couldn't help but grin as his enthusiasm. She hadn't seen him this happy in a long time. 

"And look!" he said, pointing at the replica of the Eiffel Tower across the street. "We even have a little piece of Paris here!"

"It's gorgeous," she agreed. "I can't wait to see it at night when it's all lit up. I doubt it compares to the real one at home, but I'm sure it's beautiful."

She stared at the smaller version of her favorite Paris monument, picturing it lit up against the night sky. A soft smile spread over her face as she imagined sitting among it's rafters with Chat Noir, just like they did at home. They could watch the water show the Bellagio was famous for from there. The view would be spectacular. 

"I wish we had more time to explore today," Adrien said beside her. "I was looking at it online before we came, the hotel's conservatory is supposed to be incredible! And I'd love to check out the pool. It's so hot here, I don't know how anyone stands walking around outside. I guess that's why there's so much water everywhere though."

"Ironic, considering we're in the middle of the desert."

"Exactly!" Adrien was still grinning like a child, eyes roving over the view.

Marinette shook her head as her stomach gave a loud rumble, reminding her she hadn't eaten in several hours when they were still on the plane. "Well we have plenty time to explore over the next few days. How about some room service first? Maybe a nap? I don't know about you, but I'm not sure I'll make it through the night if I don't get a little rest right now. We're eight hours behind Paris. It's already dark there."

"But we slept on the plane?" Adrien frowned adorably. Marinette gave him her best babydoll eyes and he conceded with a dramatic sigh. "Fine. Let's get you fed and you can have your nap. I'm so excited though, I don't think I could sleep."

* * *

Alya joined them in Marinette's room after Nino had left and the three ordered room service, eating together while they exclaimed over their view and the opulence of their rooms. Adrien went back to his own room while they girls took a nap, sharing Marinette's bed. When they woke up a few hours later, they jumped in the shower before getting dressed for the show. 

Nino had arranged for a bottle of champagne to be delivered for the girls to enjoy while they got ready, and Marinette was thoroughly enjoying being spoiled. Very little of the expense had come from her own pocket, aside from her initial flight (before being upgraded to first class), and she felt a little guilty that her friends were footing most of the expense. It was nice to enjoy a bit of luxury though. Especially after the chaos of the last few months.

After going back to his own room, Adrien had ended up passing out for a few hours. He woke feeling disoriented, but refreshed. Guess he'd needed the sleep more than he thought. It took no time at all to get ready and he paced around his room for a while, waiting on the girls. He knew they could take a long time to get ready for a night out, between hair, makeup, and choosing an outfit. He didn't want to interrupt their ritual girl time.

He cringed when Plagg burped loudly from across the room. The black cat kwami had been just as excited as Adrien, zooming about the room when they first arrived, commenting on every little thing he saw. After his nap, he'd ordered up some Camembert for him, and he'd been gorging himself while Adrien dressed. 

"Really, Plagg?"

The kwami sighed and patted his rounded belly contentedly. "What? How long have you known me, yet you're surprised?"

Adrien shook his head, smiling fondly. Plagg irritated him sometimes with his blasé attitude and questionable habits, but he'd been a good friend to Adrien over the years. "Just thought you might clean up your manners a bit when surrounded by such luxury."

"I am what I am, Adrien. If I didn't change my manners when surrounded by kings and pharaohs, why should I now? In America, of all places."

Adrien chuckled. "Fine. Just try not to cause too much trouble while we're here alright?"

"No promises," the little cat said, closing his eyes and stretching out on his belly across a pillow.

Shaking his head once again at his kwami's antics, Adrien checked his watch. Seeing it was just after 6:30. he approached the door between his room and Marinette's to see if the girls were ready. 

Mari opened the door on the second knock, smiling at him with curlers in her hair. "Hey! Come on in, we're almost ready."

He stepped inside and took a seat in one of the chairs by the window while she returned to the mirror, to finish applying her mascara. She gestured to the open bottle and glasses on the table, telling him to help himself. He poured himself a glass and relaxed into his seat as he took a sip. He couldn't help but let his eyes roam over her, admiring the way the soft, back material of her tank dress flowed over her curves.

He heard Alya singing along to the music playing from her phone in the bathroom. She shimmied out a few minutes later in high waisted jeans and a crop top, lips painted a dark red and curls hanging big and wild around her face. "Bathroom's free!" she told Marinette, swatting her ass as she crossed the room to join Adrien.

"Thanks!" Marinette swiped on a coat of her signature red lipstick and scurried to the bathroom. He could hear the soft plop of rollers landing on the counter and the sound of hairspray before she emerged again with her hair hanging in soft waves down to her waist. 

He watched, riveted, as she held up a few necklaces and earrings in front of the mirror before picking a selection of pewter chains, hanging at different lengths down the front of her dress and a pair of stud earrings that connected to a helix cuff with a little metal chain. A thick leather cuff snapped around her wrist, and she slipped into heeled leather booties, layering a half-sleeve leather jacket on top of it all. Very rocker-chic. 

Internally he laughed at himself for the sheer fact that he'd been able to identify each piece of her outfit with such detail, even if it wasn't a completely accurate description. Most guys, he knew, probably couldn't name half of the things she was wearing. He'd been in the fashion business too long.

Picking up a little glass bottle from the dresser, she gave her neck and wrist a quick spritz before turning to them. "Ready!"

"Great. We have a few more minutes and there's still champagne in this bottle, so drink up bitch!" Alya handed her her glass as she spread the remaining gold liquid between their glasses. 

"To Vegas!" Adrien said, raising his glass to the girls.

"Santé!"

They drained their glasses and Adrien stood as the girls gathered their purses. He held the door for them, catching a whiff of Marinette's perfume as she passed. A heady floral mix that always made him feel a little lightheaded. 

As promised, a car was waiting for them outside the lobby. They chatted about the band on their way to the arena, debating their favorite songs from the group's collaboration album with Nino. 

When they arrived, they were met by the band's assistant and escorted backstage where Nino was waiting in his dressing room. He greeted them all excitedly and introduced them to the band. They got a few pictures and enjoyed the various foods laid out like a buffet. Grabbing another drink, they made their way to the side stage as the opening act finished warming up.

Adrien spent nearly the entire show watching Marinette and Alya sing and dance and geek out like fan girls, snapping pictures and recording snippets of the show for their friends on social media. They pulled him into a few of their shots and he gave the camera his best model smile, getting a little flirty once the alcohol started to kick in.

After the show, they hung out with the band for a bit before heading back to the hotel. They walked around the casino for a little while, checking it out, and decided to come back the next evening. By the time they got back to their rooms, it was after one in the morning. Even with the midday nap they'd taken before the show, they were still exhausted from the long flight and went to bed early.

* * *

"Morning sunshine!" Alya greeted Adrien as she and Nino joined him for breakfast downstairs. As usual, he'd been the first one up, and, as usual, Marinette would be the last one down.

"Morning," he said, setting aside his coffee. He'd been sipping on it for the last hour while he waited for them. He may rise early by force of habit, but like anyone else, he couldn't think about eating, let alone fully function before his coffee. "How'd you sleep?"

"Great!" Alya said as she sat down and picked up a menu. A waiter immediately headed in their direction to take drink orders. "Feeling much better. How about you? How long have you been up?"

"Not long. About an hour or so. Can't seem to help rising with the sun, even on vacation."

"Well, I hope you got enough sleep, because I don't plan on getting back in bed till late tonight."

The couple each ordered coffee and orange juice. Alya went ahead and ordered some for Marinette, as well as mimosas for each of them. "She should be down soon."

Sure enough, she arrived about fifteen minutes later looking sleepy still, but smiling. As soon as she sat down, she grabbed her coffee and took a long drink, sighing appreciatively. "Morning! Sorry for making everyone wait."

"No worries, Mar. We expect it by now," Nino teased. 

The others had already made their selections for breakfast and Marinette quickly scanned the menu while they gave their orders to the waiter. Once he left, they all settled into their seats, sipping their coffee as they slowly came to life.

"So," Marinette asked, finishing her coffee and switching to mimosa. "What's the plan for today?"

"Well, I'd like to check out some of the other hotels and maybe do some shopping this morning. I still have a couple little things I want to pick up for the honeymoon," Alya said. "Then I was thinking we could hang out at the pool until dinner."

"If you guys are interested, I can get us tickets for a Cirque show tonight," Nino added. "We can do the casino tomorrow."

Adrien and Marinette exchanged looks and shrugged. "Sounds like a plan."

After breakfast, the group first made their way across the street to get some pictures with the miniature Eiffel Tower. They checked out the indoor canal at the Venetian offering gondola rides, the beautiful art and statues at Ceasar's Palace, rode the sky coaster and a few other rides along the strip and did some shopping. 

Dropping their bags off in their rooms, they changed into their swim suits and headed to the pool to cool down in the nearly 100 degree weather. After swimming around for a bit, they ordered some frozen cocktails and lounged around the edge of the pool until it was time to get ready for dinner. 

They managed to catch one of the hotel's fountain shows after dinner before heading to the show. A few drinks at one of the casino bars afterwards and they were all once again ready for bed. Agreeing to meet a bit later for breakfast the next morning, they headed off to sleep.

* * *

Saturday was a bit more relaxed than Friday had been. The group walked to the hotel's conservatory after breakfast, admiring the vibrant, colorful plants and flowers on display before again heading to the pool. Adrien's skin was already darkening to a golden tan which he was sure his father wouldn't be particularly pleased with, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Marinette, on the other hand, was starting to develop a reddish sunburn on her much lighter skin and retired back to her room sooner than the rest. 

Showering off the sunscreen, sweat and chlorine from the day, they decided to keep dinner easy, ordering in their rooms again while they got ready for the casino. The girls opted for simple cocktail dresses, black for Alya and red for Marinette, while the boys stayed relatively casual in dark slacks and button downs. They shared a drink at the bar before splitting off to try their luck at gambling. Nino and Alya headed for the Black Jack tables, Adrien wandered over to play roulette, and Marinette decided it was safest to stick to slots. 

After losing a few rounds, and a few hundred dollars, Adrien decided to walk around and people watch instead. He'd never had much luck in general, and ever since taking up the mantle of Chat Noir, his luck had only seemed to get worse. He spotted Marinette along a row of slot machines, pumping her fist as the machine in front of her lit up, and decided to watch her play for a bit instead. Grabbing a refill of his drink and another martini for her, he made his way over.

The machine chimed again, and Marinette watched the counter on the screen blur as the numbers climbed ever higher. She'd only been playing for about an hour, but her winnings were already far outnumbering the amount she'd budgeted for herself. 

A martini glass slid into her view, along with Adrien's signature cologne as he sidled up next to her. "Congrats. Looks like you're having much better luck than me."

"Thanks," she smiled at him and accepted the drink. "Giving up already?"

"Yeah, luck doesn't seem to want to be a lady for me tonight. Mind if I join you instead?"

"Not at all." she gestured to the unoccupied stool beside her. 

For a while, the two talked and laughed, watching the counter on Marinette's machine move up and down as she played. From time to time, she'd switch machines and try her hand at a new game. All the while, servers moved through the crowd, constantly refilling their drinks. Eventually the liquor dulled both of their senses and Adrien began to slip into a much flirtier personality that reminded Marinette of Chat Noir.

After making a particularly bad pun, Marinette's laughter trailed off. She tilted her head, studying him. Adrien had abandoned his polished style some time ago, rolling up his sleeves to display his toned forearms and unfastened a few buttons at his collar so the skin of his chest peaked out from beneath the silky, black fabric. In the low light of the casino, his hair rumpled from running his hands through it, she could picture the black mask across his face. His green eyes glowed in the light of the machine beside them.

"Chaton?" The name slipped from her lips before she could stop it. The effect was immediate.

Adrien's laughter abruptly cut off, his posture straightening. His eyes roved over her face, studying the vivid blue of her eyes, made even more prominent in the casino's lighting. He blinked a few times as if also attempting to picture her in her mask. "M'Lady?" 

Marinette's breath hitched._ It was him_. It had to be. No one else ever called her that but her kitty. 

Adrien leaned closer. "_Dieu._ It is you, isn't it?" his voice was barely above a whisper, warm breath feathering over her skin. All at once, her mental pictures of both men collided and she couldn't deny it. 

It was him.

Adrien was Chat Noir.

All this time, and she hadn't even noticed. How had she not seen it?

She was so overwhelmed, all she could do was nod in response.

Adrien swayed closer until they were almost nose to nose. "I can't believe it," he breathed. "I found you." His eyes moved over her face again, catching on her eyes, her lips... "Finally."

Without thinking, Marinette leaned forward, tilting her head and pulling him to her as she pressed her lips to his. Adrien's arm slipped around her waist, lifting her off her seat and pulling her into him. They stayed that way for a long moment, lost to the world before finally pulling away, breathless.

Marinette gazed into his eyes, panting as she tried to catch her breath. A giddy sort of giggle spilled out of her as he grinned down at her, the look full of Chat's roguish charm. "Oh, God. How could we have been so blind?"

"I have no idea, but I'm_ paws_-itively grateful we finally figured it out."

She giggled again, tapping his nose. "Silly Kitty."

He just kept grinning at her. "Let's cash out your winnings and get out of here. We've got a lot to talk about."

Marinette tapped the button to print her ticket as Adrien grabbed her hand and lead her over to the cashier. Her winnings totaled a whopping three grand and Marinette watched with wide eyes as the woman counted out the bills. She'd never seen so much money at once. Adrien tucked the envelope with the cash into his pocket for her and eagerly led her out of the casino, both of them momentarily forgetting they'd come with their friends. 

They left the hotel and wandered down the street, admiring the light displays along the strip as they weaved through the crowded sidewalk. The evening was considerably cooler than the day had been, and Marinette eventually began to shiver in the thin fabric of her strapless dress. Adrien wrapped his arm around her shoulders and steered her into the first building they came across. 

They found themselves in another of the strip's many hotels and made their way to the lounge which was decorated like a 1920's era speakeasy with low lighting and cozy velvet booths. Tucking themselves into an intimate spot in a quiet corner, they ordered another round of drinks and spoke quietly together. 

They both lamented over the fact that they hadn't been able to figure out each other's identity sooner. The fact that they might have already been together if they had. With each passing minute, and each new round of drinks, they became more and more intimate, both in conversation and in the physical touches they shared.

The remainder of the night blurred together into a mix of sights, smells and sounds, until blackness took over completely. 


	2. Chapter 2

Marinette woke with a start, eyes popping open and flitting wildly around to determine what had woken her. Finding nothing to alarm her, she relaxed - and then her surroundings began to register. 

Soft, early morning light spilled in from the open windows, highlighting the blue walls of the room.... but the room she'd been staying in the last two nights was gold... Why was it so warm? Had she forgotten to turn on the AC before she fell asleep? A thick band tightened around her waist, jarring her. It was then she realized the warmth she felt wasn't from the lack of AC, but from the big, hard body curled against her backside. Her very naked backside.

_Oh my God._

Immediately, panic hit, setting her pulse to galloping. A pounding began behind her eye sockets, causing her to squeeze them shut. Frantically she began searching her memory, trying to figure what had happened the night before. The last thing she remembered clearly was playing slots while Adrien watched her. After that, everything was a blur. 

Random half-pictures snagged her memory, but none of them made sense. 

Standing in line in some sort of official looking room. Running her fingers over white mesh and lace. A bouquet of roses. Signing her name. She pulled her hand from under her pillow to drag it over her face and felt something cool and hard brush her nose. Pulling her hand away, she stared perplexed at a thin, copper band around her middle finger. 

_What in the world?_ Had she gone shopping last night? Was that why she was remembering white lace and flowers?

She shifted, feeling a slight ache between her thighs._ Oh, good Lord._ Had she lost her virginity last night? And she didn't even remember it! She squeezed her eyes shut again, stifling a groan, as shame flooded through her. Opening her eyes again, her vision caught on a shiny, foil packet laying on the nightstand, and felt a modicum of relief. At least they'd been careful.

And who was _they_ exactly? Who in the hell's room was she in? Adrien's? That seemed the logical choice, but why? She'd been crushing on the man for years, but he'd never seen her that way. And even if he had, why would she chose their first time,_ her_ first time, to be while she was blackout drunk? In Vegas? 

Holding her breath, she slowly turned her head to look behind her. Smooth, tan skin came into view first, covering toned, muscly arms. Then ruffled blond hair. And finally, Adrien's sleeping face.

Another small relief, even as her eyes widened and her breath rushed out of her. At least she hadn't gone home with a stranger last night. She just wished she could remember how this had happened.

The liquor she'd had the night before caught up with her then as a hangover began to set in. The sun was rising in earnest now, turning the ache in her head to a throb, her mouth was as dry as the desert, and throat felt slightly constricted as nausea settled in her stomach. 

Moving as carefully and quietly as possible, she slid out of Adrien's arms and sat up. The room spun when she moved, and she took a moment to close her eyes, breathing slowly through her nose until she felt under control again. 

Looking around, she found her shoes, clothes and purse strewn around the floor. Her stomach roiled as she stood, and instead sunk to her knees, crawling around the room as she gathered her things. Glancing back at the bed, she thankfully found Adrien still sleeping, and crawled quietly to the door between their rooms. 

She carefully shut the door behind her, making sure not to make a sound, before leaning heavily against it, clutching her dress to her chest. It was the same red dress she'd been wearing at the start of the previous night, and again she wondered where the memory of white lace had come from.

Nausea threatened again, and she gagged. Jumping up, she sprinted to the bathroom, catching a startled red and black blur as she darted across the room. "Marinette?" she heard Tikki call from the doorway as she emptied her stomach into the toilet. "Are you ok?"

Tikki watched her charge with concern as she wiped her mouth and flushed, leaning briefly against the tub before rising on shaky legs and stumbling to the sink. She and Plagg had been hanging out together in Marinette's room last night when they'd heard the door in the next room slam into the wall, followed but what sounded like a tumbling thud, and a flurry of giggles. Looking at each other in alarm, Plagg had carefully phased through the wall to Adrien's room to check it out.

Quickly reappearing, Plagg had looked startled, before bursting into laughter. He'd informed her that the sound they'd heard was Marinette and Adrien falling through Adrien's door. The pair had quickly recovered, and Plagg had phased back through the wall before they'd managed to get each other naked. According to him, it seemed pretty clear they were both now aware of each other's identities as he'd heard them use each other's nicknames.

_"Should we do something?" she'd asked._

_"Like what? Those two are too wrapped up in each other to notice anything else right now, let alone listen to you lecture them."_

_Tikki frowned, and Plagg spoke again, more reassuring this time. "You can talk to them in the morning. If they even remember anything in the morning."_

She watched Marinette wash her hands and rinse her mouth, startling slightly when she saw her reflection. Her hair was a knotted mess and her makeup was smeared under her eyes. She grabbed a face wipe and sat down on the toilet, unable to stand any longer. 

"Marinette?" Tikki asked again as she began wiping the makeup off her face with shaking hands.

"Oh, Tikki. What have I done?"

"What do you mean?" she asked cautiously, unsure what specifically she was referring to, and how much she remembered. 

Marinette wiped the last of her mascara off and tossed the soiled cloth in the trash. "I have no idea what happened last night. Can't remember a thing. I'm fairly certain though I had sex with Adrien!" She covered her face with her hands as her cheeks turned red.

Adrien_._ Tikki sighed internally. _Adrien_, not Chat Noir. She didn't remember anything from the night before. Whatever secrets they may have shared, seemed to still be a secret. She'd have to speak to Plagg to see what Adrien remembered. If they were both drawing blanks, then perhaps there was nothing to worry about.

In the meantime though, there was another issue to deal with.

She knew her charge hadn't ever been with anyone before. She'd dated a bit over the years, but had never gotten serious enough with anyone to even consider sleeping with them, let alone giving them her virginity. 

And now she had apparently given it to her childhood crush during a drunken haze she couldn't remember. 

"With Adrien? Are you sure? How do you know?"

"Because I just woke up naked in his bed."

"That doesn't necessarily mean you slept with him though-"

"There was a condom wrapper next to the bed. I'm pretty sure we did."

"Oh."

Tikki stared at her chosen, unsure how to proceed. She was no stranger to sex. Over the years, between the many holders she'd had, she'd seen and learned quite a lot about the human... _activity_. Still, she'd never encountered a situation quite like this,

Sure, several of her previous holders had been pretty liberal sexually. They'd occasionally had intimate encounters they couldn't remember, but none had done so their very first time. From what she'd seen, the first time was usually a pretty big deal. Even just the first time in a new relationship, and this was a first on so many levels.

"I don't know what to do, Tikki. What if he doesn't remember either? What if he _does_?" Her head whipped up, eyes wide and panicked. "Oh my god. We're flying home today. I have to sit next to him on a plane for sixteen hours! This is going to be so awkward!"

"Calm down, Marinette. Like you said, you don't even know what he remembers. Either way, I'm sure it will be fine. You're both good friends. You'll work it out."

Marinette groaned and rubbed her eyes, feeling suddenly tired. "What time is it?"

"Just after seven I think."

"Our flight isn't until one. I've got some time to try and sleep off this hangover before I have to pack. Wake me up in a couple hours, would you? Hopefully I'll be feeling better by then. About everything."

* * *

Adrien groaned, laying face down on his pillow as he stretched out in bed, feeling oddly tight, yet relaxed at the same time. Rolling over, he paused when a familiar floral scent hit his nose._ Marinette._

His eyes flew open as he sat up in bed and immediately closed them again. The sun streamed harshly through the open curtains, momentarily blinding him. Blinking away the spots in his vision, he scanned the room. The sheets seemed more rumpled than usual, and his clothes were scattered across the room. Shirt hanging off the TV, pants in a puddle at the foot of the bed. A sock thrown here, and another there, and his boxers on the opposite side of the room as his pants. 

What the hell? Had he just started randomly throwing his clothes as he took them off?

Remembering the scent of Mari's perfume, he turned his head to the side of the bed where he'd smelled it and froze when he saw the condom wrapper on the night stand. Where had that come from? He definitely hadn't brought any with him. Had never had a need for them before. Noticing the drawer slightly ajar, he pulled it open to find a half empty box that a previous occupant must have left. Huh.

He'd apparently used one last night, though he couldn't remember. Given Mari's perfume and the fact that his last solid memory was with her...._ Oh, my God._ Had he slept with Marinette last night?!? There was no sign of her in his room now, but her lingering scent told him she'd been there at some point, and long enough to leave her mark on his sheets. 

He wracked his brain for any kind of memory from the night before, but came up empty.

What were the odds he would finally move forward with the girl he'd been crushing on, apparently giving her his virginity, only to not remember a second of it? _Damn it._ That was so his luck.

He dragged a hand over his face, groaning in frustration, and heard Plagg snickering.

"Morning Casanova."

"Plagg..." He eyed his kwami suspiciously. The little god seemed particularly amused. "What do you know about last night?"

"What do you remember?" he asked, being unusually circumspect. Typically Plagg never hesitated to remind Adrien of moments he'd rather forget, retelling them in excruciating detail. Yet, if Plagg knew anything about what had happened the night before, he didn't seem to be in the mood to share.

"Honestly? Not much. Last thing I can remember was taking celebratory shots after Marinette spun triple hearts on the slot machine." He rubbed his temple as his head started to ache. "How much did we drink last night?" he grumbled. 

He looked around for his phone, almost afraid to check his bank account. He had plenty money to spare, but his father had a habit of monitoring his account and spending habits. If he blew too much money on this trip, he didn't doubt he'd hear about it when he got home. Or perhaps even sooner.

He'd apparently had the wherewithal to plug his phone in to charge the night before, and found several missed calls and texts from Nino and Alya the night before. They must've left them behind at some point, though Alya's frantic texts asking if Marinette was with him, and his half coherent responses seemed to confirm that she had in fact been with him last night. 

If only he could remember.

He closed his eyes, imagining her kissing him. Naked in his arms, lying underneath him in bed, her soft skin on his.... There should be actual memories to replace those fantasies, but instead, all he had was an alcohol induced fog.

Exiting out of his messages, he pulled up his mobile banking app and scanned through the recent transactions. He winced at the $1000 withdrawal from the casino, but there didn't appear to be any other transactions. Considering how drunk he'd apparently gotten, he assumed he must've been able to pay for everything else with cash. Perhaps he'd even won some money?

Reaching for his pants, he rifled through the pockets and found a few rumpled bills along with his wallet in one pocket and an envelope with a couple hundred in another. _Nice._ As he flipped through the bills, counting them up, the morning light caught on a black metal band on his pinky. _Odd. _ Why would he have a ring? And why would he wear it on that finger?

Shaking his head, he chalked it up to whatever drunken shenanigans he and Marinette had gotten into the night before.

His gaze caught on the digital clock beside the bed and fairly sprang out of bed when he realized how late it was. They would be leaving for the airport in less than an hour. He rushed through a shower, throwing his things haphazardly into his suitcase and rushed to meet the others downstairs.

They were all standing in the lobby near the doors, packed and ready to go, even Marinette, surprisingly. The girl was usually always late, but today she stood waiting for _him_, packed and dressed and ready to go.

She didn't look quite as put together as usual, dressed in comfy looking leggings and t-shirt, oversized sunglasses on her face and a to-go coffee in her hand. He guessed she was probably as hungover as he was. He hadn't bothered to comb his hair after showering and knew it would be drying in messy waves. 

He probably also had some wicked circles under his eyes as well. Mari's idea of wearing sunglasses indoors seemed like a great idea all of a sudden, especially with the sun beaming bright overhead outside. He dug through his carryon and pulled them out, slipping them over his nose as he waved awkwardly at the group. 

He couldn't see Mari's eyes behind her shades, but he could still tell she was avoiding eye contact. Did she remember what happened last night? Was she regretting it? He certainly hoped not. He needed to talk to her about it. They'd be sitting next to each other on the flight home, perhaps they could talk then.

Alya took one look at Adrien and snorted as Nino's gaze bounced between him and Marinette, smirking. "Morning, pretty boy. You look like you feel about as well as Mari. You guys must have had fun after you ditched us at the casino."

Marinette turned away, hiding behind her coffee, while Adrien awkwardly cleared his throat. "Yeah, must have."

This makes Alya laugh harder. "Having trouble remembering are we? Must've been one hell of a good time. Sorry we missed it." She chastised them both, a teasingly lilt to her voice.

There were a couple more stops left on Nino's tour, but he was riding with them to the airport to meet the band where they'd catch a flight to their next stop. He would be joining them back in Paris in a little over a week to prepare for his wedding that was now less than a month away. Nino looked down at the phone in his hand and gestured towards the door. "Ride's here. Let's go."

The ride to the airport was uneventful, though Nino and Alya teased them both mercilessly the entire way there. They both said very little, Marinette attempting to hide her blush behind her hair as she looked out the window. She could feel Adrien watching her the entire time, especially once they boarded the plane. She had a feeling he wanted to talk to her about last night, but chicken that she was, she pretended to fall asleep almost as soon as the plane took off.

They both slept on and off through out the flight, neither seeming to be awake at the same time, ruining Adrien's hopes of speaking with her. It was late by the time they landed back in Paris, all of them too tired to speak much to each other beyond a sleepy goodbye as they headed home. Adrien sighed as he watched Marinette walk away from him and stepped into the car waiting for him outside Arrivals. 

They were both in the wedding and he expected they'd see a lot of each other over the next couple weeks; there'd be plenty of time to talk to her. He hoped.

* * *

The days leading up to the wedding passed by quickly in a flurry of activity. Adrien didn't see Marinette nearly as often as he'd hoped, and every time he tried to approach her to get her alone, she'd magically disappear before he could. 

The rehearsal was interrupted by an akuma attack, the first in weeks, (there had thankfully been no activity during their trip to Vegas, and no one had even noted the absence of Paris' heroic duo.) Marinette had again disappeared right after the attack started, not that it mattered much. He couldn't rightfully pull her aside to talk when he was supposed to be saving the city. 

He also noticed Ladybug seemed more preoccupied than usual during their battle, though they managed to take down their latest foe with little issue. He wanted to know what could possibly be distracting his usually laser focused partner, but he had a rehearsal to get back to. He'd have to talk to her another time as well.

Alya finally pulled Marinette aside at the end of the evening after seeing her scurry away from Adrien during the little get together the bridal party had after the rehearsal. "Ok girl. Spill. What the hell is going on with you and Adrien? You've both been weird since that last night in Vegas. Did something happen? You guys fight or something?"

Marinette sighed, her shoulders slumping as she realized there was little point hiding anything from her friend. If she didn't get it from her, she'd find away to get it out of Adrien and Nino. 

"Not exactly."

"Not exactly_ what_? You didn't exactly fight? Or something 'didn't exactly' happen?"

"The last one? To be completely honest, I can't remember a thing from that night. I don't think he does either."

"Then what's going on?"

"Well.... I may not remember the night, but I remember the morning pretty vividly..."

Alya stared at her for a beat, blinking. "Wait-" she held up her hands, waving them around slightly. "Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying what I think you're saying? Did you and Adrien hook up?"

Marinette shrugged, face burning. "I can't remember it, but all evidence points to yes?"

"Shut. Up!" Alya cried, causing several people to look their way as Marinette frantically tried to shush her. Thankfully Nino and his boys had already left. Alya slapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes narrowing apologetically. 

"Shut up!" she repeated, in a whisper shout this time. "Are you sure? If you can't remember, how do you know?"

"Like I said, evidence. We were in his bed. Naked. There was a condom wrapper on the table and... well, I was kinda sore." Her cheeks flamed the more she spoke, and Alya's smirk grew, before her eyebrows suddenly slammed together. 

"Wait a minute. Weren't you a-"

"Yes."

"... holy shit girl."

"I know."

"I mean, that's..."

"I know."

"And neither of you remember?"

"As far as I know. I haven't actually talked to him about it yet, so I don't really know what he remembers, but given he seemed as confused as me the next day, I'm guessing he wants to know what I remember which is nothing, and of course, I'm too much of a coward to just tell him that. Like what if he doesn't remember anything? Or what if he does and it was like- bad or something? Or what if he regrets it and doesn't want it to happen again? We've come too far Alya. I don't wanna lose my friend. I-"

"Woah. Take a breath girl. Calm down."

Alya's hands landed on MArinette's shoulders as she sucked in a breath, trying to stem the rising panic in her chest that had been present since she first woke that morning. "Sorry... Oh gosh! I'm so sorry to unload on you like this! It's the night before your wedding, this should be about _you_ not _me_."

"It's alright, Marinette," Alya chuckled. "I'm the one who asked. I've been really curious what happened that night anyways. So has Nino, though apparently Adrien hasn't said anything about it yet. Maybe he can get him to talk about it tonight to, If not, _I'll_ get the story from him."

"No!" Marinette cried, clutching her friends hands. "Please don't. I don't want anyone plying him for details if he doesn't remember either."

"Fine. But you should probably talk to him. I get you're worried about your friendship, but how is avoiding him helping?"

Marinette groaned, hanging her head. "Ugh, I know. You're totally right." She rolled her lip between her teeth, thinking. "I'll talk to him about it tomorrow. At the reception. I promise."

"Good. That's my girl. You're not teenage you anymore, you're a grown ass woman. You can do this!"

"Yes! I totally can!"

The girls smiled at each other for a minute before another of the bridesmaids called their attention. "Right. Tonight and tomorrow are about you though. This point forward. So come on, soon-to-be Mrs Lahiffe. We've got a wedding to get you ready for!"

* * *

As it turned out, Marinette never did get to talk to Adrien about that night.

The ceremony the next morning was beautiful. The weather was perfect and the pictures were amazing. Alya looked stunning in the handmade gown Marinette designed for her, and everything went off without a hitch. 

During the reception, after most of the commotion died down and the guests started to settle into party mode, Marinette looked around the ballroom for Adrien, while trying to figure out how to begin the conversation they so desperately needed to have. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be seen. 

She asked Nino, who frowned as he informed her that Adrien had been called away suddenly by his father, and had left just after they had cut the cake. Concerned, Marinette sent him a text, asking if they could meet soon to talk. He responded a moment later to propose they meet for lunch the next day to which she agreed, before turning back to the party.

Little did either of them know, it was the last conversation they would have for a very long time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol for everyone who thought the last chapter ended on a cliff hanger...  
The angst is strong with this one and it’s gonna get worse before it gets better.  
Sorry. Not sorry.

Adrien sat in the back of the car, fuming as the driver steered toward the mansion. His father could be difficult on a good day, and others, he wanted to strangle the man. 

He'd know about this wedding for months now. Knew Adrien was the best man and expected to be present. Yet, he had called three times during the ceremony and another two during the reception before Adrien finally answered to ask what the hell he wanted. His father simply demanded he return home immediately as he had something important to discuss with him, not accepting Adrien's refusal. When he'd hung up on him, Gabriel had continued blowing up his phone until he finally gave up and made his excuses to Nino and Alya, apologizing profusely, and headed out to the waiting car. 

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he ripped it out to see what his father wanted now. He was already on his way for crying out loud. He was pleasantly surprised to see Marinette's name on the screen instead. It seemed she was finally done avoiding him, as she asked to meet up so they could talk, and he happily suggested lunch the next day. 

He settled back into his seat after she agreed, feeling slightly better. 

Until he arrived home that is.

As soon as he walked in the door, Nathalie informed him his father was waiting in his room, and he stomped his way up the stairs in irritation. What could possibly be so important he couldn't wait until tomorrow to talk about?

He threw open his door, prepared to bark some sort of rude greeting, only for him to stop dead, a few steps into the room. His blood ran cold as he took in the sight before him. He'd expected to find his father waiting for him with that annoyingly imperial expression, only to come face to face with Hawkmoth.

He only hesitated a moment before calling for his transformation. He didn't care that Hawkmoth saw. The very fact that he was here seemed to indicate he already knew somehow. Magic washed over him as his transformation took hold, and he grabbed for his baton, extending it slightly and raising it before him defensively.

"Hello, Adrien."

Adrien blinked, his stance dropping slightly as that cold blood turned to ice in his veins. He'd met Hawkmoth in person before. Fought him hand to hand once or twice, but until that moment, he'd never really paid much attention to the man himself. He recognized that voice though. That cold tone. He'd know it anywhere. 

"F-father?" his voice cracked as his pulse began thundering in his ears._ Oh, God. Please say it wasn't so._ No one could possibly be _that_ unlucky.

Yet, as the mans lip curled in a cruelly familiar gesture, Adrien knew it was true. His father was Hawkmoth.

Very few words passed between father and son as Adrien saw red and charged in with an angry roar. All these years it had been his father causing the citizens of this city so much pain and fear. While he'd been trying to keep Adrien locked up and carefully controlled, he'd been unleashing hell on this city, not knowing it was his own son he was sending those villains he created to fight. He seemed to know though. He wasn't sure how he knew, but it was clear that he didn't care. It didn't matter to him that it was _his son _he was fighting, so long as he got what he wanted. 

And what exatly was it he wanted anyway? What could a man with so much possibly deem worthy of risking everything to make a wish for? The answer hit him with a clarity in that moment, even as they were locked in the throws of an intense battle._ His mother_. Gabriel wanted his wife back. 

Adrien's anger turned to an all consuming rage at the realization. While his young son had mourned his mother and tried to turn to his father for comfort, Gabriel had pushed him away. Selfishly pursuing his own methods to get her back. 

Oh, he knew what his father would say, in fact, he was pretty sure he was saying it right now, though Adrien wasn't listening. He'd say he was doing it for him. So that Adrien could have his mother again. But that wasn't true. 

Adrien missed his mother, of course. But he didn't_ need_ her. Not anymore. He was a grown man. He'd_ needed_ his father after he lost her though. He'd needed a_ parent_, but had barely gotten an apathetic, over controlling, guardian instead. 

The man had put Adrien and his friends at risk for years for his own selfish goals, and he actually expected Adrien to understand? To agree? Because he thought his intentions were noble?

_The ends would justify the means..._

The shattering of glass and a sharp tug on his collar snagged his attention, pulling him back to reality. Somehow, during their fight, they had drawn close to the floor to ceiling windows that made up one wall of Adrien's bedroom, and they had just broken one, his father, Hawkmoth, half dangling out over the ground two stories below. The only thing keeping him from falling was the grip he had on the bell at the neck of Chat's suit.

The bell broke away with a sharp, metallic snap, and he was falling. Instinctively, Chat reached for him, but was too slow, his reactions dulled by shock. His claw tipped fingers snagged on the fabric of Hawkmoths suit, ripping off the butterfly brooch he wore in the process. As the pin came loose, his suit disappeared, along with any grip Adrien might have had on his father. All he could do was watch, horrified, as his father reappeared in a flash of purple light, falling to the ground dozens of feet below him, without a super suit to protect him.

He stared down at the pool of blood spreading around the crumpled body, face frozen in shock, when he became aware of the beeping of his ring, just before his own transformation disappeared. He'd apparnelty used his Cataclysm at some point in his anger fueled rage. Probably how the glass had managed to shatter in the first place. 

"Kid!?" Plagg flitted in front of his face, looking uncharacteristically panicked. "Kid, are you ok? Look at me!"

Adrien released a shaky breath as he met the eyes of his kwami. All at once, his surroundings rushed back into focus. He became aware of the sound of running footsteps outside his room, the summer evening breeze rustling his hair, the sharp sting of glass digging into his palm where he gripped the broken window frame. 

"Plagg... what did I do?"

"_Nothing_." Plagg said emphatically. "This isn't your fault, it was an accident."

"But- Cataclysm- I was the one who broke the window."

"You weren't aiming for the window, don't you remember? You were trying to catch Hawkmoth's cane, but he deflected your hand."

He blinked, little pieces of memory seeping back in. "B-but... I still broke it. He-he fell through the window. Plagg... he's- he's-"

"It isn't your fault, kid. It's not like you pushed him. You guys were fighting, he lost his footing, and he fell. It was an accident."

"I-I-"

He became aware of another presence in the room and turned to see Nathalie standing quietly beside him, staring at the ground outside his window. He'd heard her on the stairs, but hadn't heard her enter the room. How long had she been there?

"Nat. I- I don't-"

She turned to him, her expression a mix of grief and fear. "I know." She turned back to the sight below them, seeming unphased by the sight of the kwami still floating by his side. He guessed she either already knew who he was, or at least suspected. 

When she continued to stare silently, he tried again. "Nathalie?"

She jerked, seeming to come back to herself. She turned to him, suddenly serious. "Listen to me carefully. No one can know what happened. No one can know who you or your father really are-_ were._ There's been more than enough grief in this family, don't add to it by dragging his name through the mud."

Adrien blinked at her, utterly bewildered. _She knew_? For how long? Had she helped him?

His thoughts must've been clear on his face, for she grimaced. "I know you don't agree. I don't blame you. What your father did was selfish, and I wasn't any better for aiding him. But he was grieving. A man in pain, who didn't know how to deal with the loss of his wife. I know you don't understand, but I think you can at least agree it's best to keep this between us."

Adrien bit the inside of his cheek - hard - to keep from screaming. She was right; his father _was_ selfish, and Adrien _didn't_ agree with what he'd done. How he'd chosen to cope with his grief. He also knew she was right, in that telling the world what he'd done would benefit no one. Only cause himself more pain and public humiliation. 

Nathalie watched him, waiting for a response. He gave her a tight nod, reluctantly agreeing. She nodded once in acknowledgment.

"I'll take care of everything, but in order for this to work, I need you to cooperate. Do you understand? I know all those years of modeling have taught you a thing or two about acting. You're about to put those skills to the test and give the performance of your life. Are you ready?"

Adrien looked away, taking a second to collect himself before again nodding. 

"Then, do exactly as I say."

* * *

Marinette stretched her arms over her head, feeling like a lazy cat. She looked at the clock, surprised to see she'd woken before her alarm for once. Climbing out of bed, she slid down from her loft bed and padded to the bathroom to begin her morning routine. She was meeting Adrien for lunch today, and though her stomach was knotted with anxiety, she felt oddly light.

So wrapped up in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed the absence of her kwami.

Skipping down the stairs, she found both of her parents in the living room, oddly enough. They were usually already in the bakery by now, even on a Sunday. 

"Morning!" she called over her shoulder as she poured herself a glass of juice that was already laying out on the counter for her. It wasn't until she turned around again that she realized they hadn't said good morning back.

Instead, she found them both staring at the TV. Her father looked pained, and her mother had tears streaming down her face. "Maman?" she asked, suddenly alert. She rushed to her side and grabbed her hand. "What's the matter?"

Her mother looked at her, lip trembling slightly. "A- Oh sweetheart," she choked, dabbing her face. "Poor Adrien."

"Adrien?" Marinette felt her heart drop into her stomach as she turned to look at the TV. Footage of the Agreste mansion from what appeared to be the evening before, filled the screen, several police cars and an ambulance outside. The caption underneath read 'Fashion Icon Gabriel Agreste Dead After Fall From Window'.

Her breath left her in a whoosh, as she fell onto the couch beside her mother. Her fingers lifted to cover her own trembling lips as her vision blurred with tears. Poor Adrien, indeed.

* * *

Marinette paced her room, phone clutched tightly in her hands. All day she'd been getting calls and texts from Nino and Alya who were meant to be on their honeymoon, wondering if she'd heard from Adrien. She hadn't, of course. Nor had she bothered to call or text him, not wanting to bother him. She could only imagine how he was feeling right now. 

No. She'd let him come to her.

They were friends now. Close friends. They talked about things. She was sure that once he got past the shock, he would reach out to her, and she could assure everyone he was ok. 

By the time evening fell, her restlessness and anxiety had reached atmospheric heights. She decided to go on a run as Ladybug to clear her head. Only then did she realize that she'd barely seen or heard from Tikki all day. She searched all over her room, but the little red kwami was no where to be seen. 

Just when she was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack, Tikki finally flew in through her skylight, looking unusually somber. 

"Tikki! Thank God. I was so worried. Where have you been? You won't believe what happened."

"I already know," she said sadly.

"You know? How?"

"I've been with Plagg and Master Fu all day, trying to help Nooroo recover."

"Nooroo? The butterfly kwami? But how-" she fell silent, watching the kwami's grief-stricken posture. "No. No, no, no."

Tikki merely glanced up at her with big, sad eyes. 

For the second time that day she found herself weak with shock, falling heavily onto her chaise where she and Adrien had sat just a few months ago, laughing as Alya flauntered her engagement ring. That felt like a lifetime ago now. 

If she had thought Adrien was dealing with enough with his father dying, she could only imagine how he felt now, knowing his father had also been Hawkmoth.

"How did you find out? Did he- did he tell Adrien? Before he-"_ died._

"Not exactly. Chat Noir had been fighting him when it happened. Chat pulled the pin off him as he fell when he tried to catch him."

"Chat? I don't understand. The news said Gabriel fell from a window in his own house. What was Chat doing at the Agreste mansion?"

Tikki watched her cautiously, as though waiting for something. 

Then it hit her.

"_Adrien._ Adrien was Chat Noir." Her stomach roiled at the thought. How awful. Not only had Adrien had to fight his own father, who'd turned out to be the villain terrorizing the city for years, he'd been there when he'd died. Seen it happen. 

She doubled over, clutching her head between her knees as a wave of nausea hit her hard.

"_Oh my God_."

She forced herself to breath through the nausea, popping back up again when she'd recovered. "I need to go to him. I need to see Adrien. He-"

"No!" cried Tikki. "Not yet. He's- He needs to be alone right now. He's not in a good place right now. He's angry and grieving and in pain. Give him some time."

"But he's my partner!" She cried. "He needs me!"

"Yes, but right now, what he needs is space. When he's had a chance to get his emotions under control you can go see him. I promise. Right now the best you can do for him is leave him be. Let him grieve."

Marinette's heart positively rioted at the thought. Her partner, her best friend, the man she loved, was in pain. She wanted to be there for him, to help him. Logically, she knew there wasn't much she could do. There was no physical foe for her to fight. Not anymore. She couldn't take Adrien's pain for him, as much as she wanted to. 

Tears streamed down her face as she swallowed back the intensity of emotions in her chest and nodded. "Ok. I'll leave him be for now."


	4. Chapter 4

For three full weeks, Marinette waited. Giving Adrien the space to grieve while she waited for him to come to her. To reach out. But he never did.

Not when a very public funeral had been held for his father nearly two weeks after his death. Not when she tried to call or stop by after wards. And not when it was announced that he would be leaving Paris and relocating to New York to help oversee the operations of his father's company in America.

Nino and Alya called her nearly everyday to check in, equally frustrated and concerned when their own attempts to reach out to him also went unanswered. "He's in shock still. He's in pain. He's grieving. Give him time." She'd repeated the words so many times, they were starting to lose meaning. 

In the meantime, the rest of the world moved on.

The fashion companies that Marinette had interviewed with reached out to her with offers of employment. She had to make a decision. While trying to make said decision, she received two more shocking surprises.

The first came when her mother handed her a letter addressed from Nevada one afternoon with an apology. "I'm so sorry, honey. It looks like this arrived a couple weeks ago for you, but got lost in the mail."

She'd opened it to find a piece of paper that pronounced her to legally be Marinette Agreste.

_So that's what happened in Vegas_. 

The night she couldn't remember. Apparently she and Adrien had gotten _married_, though she had no idea how that happened. It was then that Tikki informed her that Plagg had seen them come back to Adrien's room that night and that they had been calling each other by their nicknames, Chaton and M'Lady. 

It seemed that in their drunken stupor, they had somehow managed to reveal themselves, and had then apparently decided to tie the knot. 

She'd heard of people 'waking up married' in Vegas before but had never understood how that was possible. A quick internet search told her that there was no wait time for marriage in Las Vegas. All one had to do was apply for a license at the register's office, which was open until midnight. They could receive their license same day, then all they had to do was hold a ceremony within a year.

A glance at her search history, showed she'd research the exact same thing that night in Vegas, and had even looked to find a licensed facility where the ceremony had apparently been performed, and their marriage certificate filed.

Those random snippets of memory suddenly made a lot more sense.

The lace, was her veil. The flowers, her bouquet. Her signature, had been on the license. And the ring she'd woken up wearing.... they'd bought it at the chapel, though apparently there hadn't been one small enough to fit her tiny ring finger, so she'd worn it on her middle finger instead. 

She pulled the tiny piece of reddish metal out from the jewelry box where she'd put it after returning home and stared at in for several hours, letting the news sink in while Tikki flitted about her nervously. 

Still in shock, she still hadn't told anyone a week later, when she got her second surprise.

She'd been feeling awful for days. Tired and nauseous, her whole body aching. She thought she'd somehow managed to catch a weird, midsummer flu, despite the fact that she hadn't had so much as a cold in years.

It wasn't until she looked at her calendar and realized she hadn't had her period in almost two months that any other explanation occurred to her.

Without a word, she rushed out of the house, leaving her parents curious stares behind her as she ran to the nearest drug store and purchased a test. Not wanting to wait any longer, she'd gone to the store's bathroom, pacing back and forth across the tiny space while she waited for the timer on her phone to sound. All the while, Tikki watched on in silence, no doubt already knowing the answer.

She was the Goddess of creation, after all.

When those two blue lines appeared on the screen, both of them, Marinette nearly fainted.

She was pregnant. And Adrien,_ her husband_, was the father.

* * *

Marinette didn't realize she'd been crying until Tikki began dabbing at her face with a tissue that was bigger than her. She took it from her with a thanks and a watery half-smile. 

"It's going to be ok, Marinette." 

Tikki, ever the optimist. Usually, it was easy for Marinette to be too. The way things had been going lately, in her personal life at least, she wasn't so sure. 

"I know this is shocking and scary, but you'll get through it! You're one of the strongest people I've ever known. If anyone can do it you can!"

Marinette's heart warmed at her kwami's encouragement and praise. She was in shock, yes. In the more general sense that anyone is shocked at something like an unexpected pregnancy. Just what this would mean for_ her_; her life, her career, her family. That hadn't quite sunk in yet. 

The door handle jiggled and someone knocked impatiently. She'd been locked in the store's only bathroom for nearly ten minutes now. She needed to go so others could access it too. 

Looking in the mirror, she splashed some cold water on her face to try and stem some of the puffiness around her eyes and dried her skin. Straightening her hair and clothes, she dumped the empty box in the trash and swiped the tests off the counter. Realizing her tiny purse wasn't big enough to fit them, she tucked them into the waistband of her shorts, under her shirt and exited the room, avoiding eye contact with the person on the other side as she muttered an apology as she scuttled around them.

She was still in a daze as she left the store and wandered aimlessly down the street. Turning a corner on instinct, she grunted when she ran smack into the chest of a tall man. She was about to apologize when warm hands gripped her arms to steady her and a friendly voice greeted her.

"Ma-ma-marinette."

Her head whipped up, blue eyes colliding with turquoise ones the color of the sea. Eyes she hadn't seen in quite some time, but immediately filled her with a sense of warmth. "Luka!"

The soft smile he wore immediately turned to a concerned frown when he saw her face. His grip tightened momentarily as his hands flexed. "Hey, are you ok?"

She opened her mouth to say she was fine. To make some excuse for the red eyes and puffy skin, like allergies or some such. But looking into those eyes, so full of genuine concern, eyes that had only ever looked at her with kindness, she was suddenly tired of pretending she was alright. She wasn't.

Before she could stop it, her eyes filled with tears again, and gasping sob escaped her. Without hesitation, Luka wrapped an arm around her, gently leading her away from prying eyes to a quite side street. Turning her body into his chest, he cradled her head against his shoulder, cooing softly as she cried. 

His free hand moved slowly up and down her back, soothing her frayed nerves, and she cried harder at the tenderness of the gesture. She'd cried plenty the last few weeks, but then, she'd mostly cried for Adrien. These tears were for herself.

When she calmed down a few minutes later, she pulled back enough to look Luka in the eye again. He loosened his hold, but didn't let go, stroking hair out of her face and wiping away stray tears with the roughened pads of his fingers. 

"There now," he said in that soft, melodic voice of his. "You're alright."

"I'm so sorry," she said, looking at the wet stain on his faded Jagged Stone t-shirt. "I didn't mean to unload on you like that. We haven't seen each other in what? Eight months? And the first time we run into each other I get snot all over your favorite shirt."

He just smiles at her. "I don't mind. I'm just glad I could help. Do you want to talk about it?"

She bit her lip, on the verge of saying no; once again pushing her own fears, worries and feelings aside. But, even though they hadn't seen each other in a long time, she felt safe here with Luka. She hadn't been able to talk to anyone about what was going on with her. She'd been too in shock for the most part, and she hadn't wanted to burden anyone with her problems when they had their own to deal with. Luka's genuine, earnest expression worked it's magic on her again, however, and she found herself nodding. 

"Let's go somewhere a little more private then, hm?"

Wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders, he lead her to an open loft studio on the upper floor of an industrial building she assumed to be his apartment. The space was surprisingly large, with large windows on one wall, a small kitchen and bathroom tucked in one corner, a bed in another and a small sofa and chairs in another, where his guitar rested against the wall. An eclectic collection of colorful rugs covered the concrete floors, and rock-and-roll memorabilia hung on the walls. It was very Luka.

Guiding her to sit on the worn, but comfortable sofa, he gave her a moment to compose herself as he moved to the kitchen and made them both a cup of tea. Handing one to her, he took a seat next to her, and patiently waited for her to speak. 

The aroma of mint wafted to her on the steam from her cup and she breathed deeply as she gathered her thoughts. The aroma had the dual effect of calming both her nerves, and the slight nausea that was still lingering. Blinking her eyes open, she found Luka watching her intently as she calmly sipped his tea. 

"Sorry, I'm just not really sure where to be begin," she said awkwardly. He smiled gently at her, in that way of his that always put her at ease. "When I'm writing a song, I find it best to start with the notes themselves. The lyrics I'm looking for usually have a way of making themselves known as I play the chords."

She smiled at his musical analogy. "So you're saying start at the beginning?"

His eyes twinkled. "That's usually best."

Taking a deep breath, she looked down into her cup, deciding where the beginning was. Since the most prominent thing on her mind right now was Adrien, she decided to begin with the day they met.

She told him about her former, debilitating crush, and how their relationship had changed over the years, some of which, Luka himself had been witness to. As she spoke, she found herself relaxing, pouring out her thoughts and feelings in a way she'd never done with anyone before. 

By the time she reached their trip to Vegas, she wasn't holding back details anymore. She told him everything. **Everything**. About what she'd pieced together about the night she couldn't remember; her and Adrien getting married; losing her virginity, though she didn't remember it. She even told him about her being Ladybug. About learning Adrien was Chat Noir, and his father had been Hawkmoth. 

She told him about how Adrien had disappeared after his father's death. How he wasn't answering anyone's calls. She understood his grief, but she didn't understand his silence. Why he would shut out the people who cared about him. The ones he needed most right now.

Then she pulled out the tests still hiding under her shirt, and told him about the latest bit of news she had received. 

The entire time, his eyes never left her. He listened quietly, calmly sipping his tea. When she was finished, her throat was sore and hoarse from all the talking and crying she had done, and she raised her now cool mug to her lips, ignoring the bitter taste of over-steeped tealeaves as she took several long swallows.

For a long moment, Luka said nothing, looking thoughtfully at his mug as he spun it between his long fingers. Marinette felt infinitely better after opening up to him, but the longer he stayed silent the more worried she became. Was he judging her? Laughing at her? No. That wasn't Luka's style. Still, she was desperate to know what he was thinking.

"I'm sorry for unloading on you like this. Again. I know that was a lot. I don't mean to burden you."

He looked up at her, a flash of fierceness in his eyes. "You're not a burden, Marinette. You never could be. I told you before, I'm always here for you."

She smiled genuinely at him. They'd always been friends, though not particularly close. He was her friend Juleka's older brother. He'd always been kind to her, exhibiting a protectiveness of her, she'd always adored.

"Then tell me what you're thinking, please. Because I have no idea where to even begin with any of this."

His expression softened, his eyes filled with sympathy, and, maybe a hint of jealousy. Luka had never been shy about his feelings. People knew exactly what he thought about them. He'd made it clear before that he admired her, back when they first met. She'd always kept him at a healthy distance however. At 14, the two year age difference seemed too much. At 21, however, it seemed inconsequential.

"It doesn't really matter what I think, Marinette. It doesn't really matter what anyone thinks. It matters what_ you_ think. What_ you_ want. There's a lot going on in your life right now. Major things that most people don't deal with at such a young age. But, you aren't alone. You don't have to make these decisions by yourself."

He set down his mug and took one of her hands in his, gently rubbing the callused pad of his thumb along the soft skin on the back. "You have family, and friends, and so many people who love you. Who will stand by you and support you, no matter what you choose. I know it's a scary decision, a tough one no matter what you choose, but no one else can make it for you."

"The one thing I know for sure, is you need to speak with Adrien, though I'm sure you know that too. I'm sorry you're having a hard time communicating right now, and I'm sorry for him that he's dealing with so much. I don't know him well, but he's always struck me as a good guy. I'm sure once he's had time to wrap his mind around the other things going on in his life, he'll be there for you."

Her smile wobbled. "I hope so."

"In the mean time, I meant what I said. I will always be here for you. Whatever you need."

She squeezed his hand, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Thank you."

* * *

Over the next few days, Marinette poured over internet research and countless books and pamphlets on her various options. She didn't want to tell anyone else about the baby until she made a decision about what she was going to do, and to do that, she needed as much information as she could get. 

She tried again to call Adrien again, but each time, his phone went straight to voicemail until eventually she received a message that his inbox was full. She hated the idea of making a decision without him. This baby was half his, and he had a right to know and be involved. There was only so much she could do though when he wouldn't speak to anyone.

She had briefly considered an abortion, or even the possibility of giving the baby up for adoption, but the more she thought about it, the more determined she was to keep it. No matter how scared she was or how hard it would be, she couldn't imagine not having this baby.

She reached out to the companies who had made her offers, discreetly inquiring about their policies on maternity leave, and child care. Whether she would be able to work from another location if she so chose. New York for instance.

Gabriel Fashions had been at the top of her list, despite what she now knew about the late founder's private life. She'd also hoped that working for the same company as Adrien would open another line of communication between them. However, upon learning the company had very restrictive policies that seemed to discourage employees from starting families, she'd crossed them off her list.

After nearly falling asleep at the dinner table one night, he mother sat her down and gently, but firmly asked her what was going on. Not wanting to lie, and desperately needing the advice of someone with experience, she'd told her mother about the baby.

Though clearly shocked, and perhaps a little disappointed, Her mother, and her father, were both clearly excited at the prospect of becoming grandparents. Her parents had always loved Adrien, and in recent years had treated him rather like a son. She explained her current situation with him, and though they were equally disappointed with his lack of communication, they too understood he was going through a lot, and seemed confident he would come around, given time.

They talked through her options with her, how they could help her, and what her next steps should be. Her mother informed her of the symptoms and changes in her body that she could expect over the coming weeks and month, offering her advice on dealing with morning sickness, and the constant fatigue that currently plagued her.

The next day, her father ran the bakery by himself while Sabine took the day off to help Marinette set up an appointment with her doctor, and took her shopping for some new clothes that she could grow into. Knowing the possibility of a miscarriage was still high this early, her mother had recommended she not tell many people, including whichever company she chose to work for, until she reached her second trimester.

After debating the merits of the different offers she had received, all three of them were in agreement that one of the companies on her list, in particular, seemed to be the best place for her. They were a newer fashion house, that currently mostly existed in Paris, but was steadily growing. There was room to move up, and they offered generous support to employees who decided to become parents. She called that afternoon to accept, and set up a time to come in and fill out paperwork before beginning her first day in two weeks. 

When Alya finally returned from her honeymoon to begin her own new job, she and Marinette had a girl's night, where she finally told her best friend everything that had happened while she was gone. Initially there was a brief freak out, where Alya called her husband, who had given the girls the apartment to themselves for the evening, to demand Nino straighten Adrien's ass out. Once she calmed down, however, she soon became excited at the prospect of becoming "Auntie Alya".

That enthusiasm began spreading to Marinette as the two began discussing nursery room ideas and themes for a baby shower.

Gradually, the ball of anxiety that had been sitting in her chest ever since she first saw those little blue lines, began to lessen. She still hadn't heard a peep from Adrien, which saddened her greatly because she wanted him to be involved, but she found herself surrounded by love and support, and knew that, no matter what happened, she would be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens 😈
> 
> Not a particularly long chapter, but it is a complete one. The next will begin with a short time jump FYI. Not much, just a couple months.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter here 😊

Marinette huffed as she set down the stack of fabric samples, rubbing circles into her aching lower back as she straightened. She was just over halfway through her pregnancy and beginning to show in earnest now. It was as though her belly had suddenly expanded overnight, like a balloon. 

The changes in her body both awed and terrified her. So far, she'd been relatively lucky, compared to what she'd heard from other mothers. Though she had dealt with some nausea and morning sickness in her first trimester, it had been minimal and quite manageable. She hadn't put on too much weight yet, nor was she having much trouble with bloating and swelling, though she knew it was to be expected in the later weeks of her pregnancy.

Mostly, it was all good changes. Her skin was clearer and brighter, her hair thicker and shinier. Her face was fuller, but instead of making her feel fat, it simply softened her features. Her belly was tightly rounded and protruding, but she still had the same curvy silhouette she'd always had. Her breasts were swollen and often tender, but she'd gained a full cup size already and found she rather appreciated the boost as she'd been mostly flat chested before. Probably from all of the running around she'd done in her youth as Ladybug. 

All around, she was feeling pretty good.

Looking around the empty room she stood in, she smiled, imagining the possibilities. Her parents had cleared out one of their guestrooms to convert into a nursery for the baby. They'd been waiting to paint and decorate until she knew the sex of the baby, which would hopefully happen at her appointment later this week. For now, she'd been collecting fabric samples and paint swatches, putting together little aesthetic boards for her favorite picks.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts and she turned to see Luka leaning against the doorjamb, smiling at her. "Hey. You ready?"

She let her eyes drift over him, taking him in. He'd practically worn the same uniform of band t-shirts, ripped jeans and hoodies since they'd first met, but he filled them out much better now. His nails were still painted and his dark hair still sported the same vivid blue streaks, but these days, he wore it in a more polish style with the sides cut more closely to his head and the top long enough to fall over his eyes. He still wore simple black studs in the piercings in his ear lobe, but they were now accompanied by colorful, artistic tattoos peeking out from where the sleeves of his hoodie were pushed up to his elbow. He looked good.

"Yeah, just let me grab my purse."

Luka waited for her at the door as she ambled her way up the steps to her room, holding the door for her when she returned. "I really don't like you going up and down those stairs all the time now that you're getting bigger. Especially that ladder up to your bed. Doesn't seem very safe," he frowned, up at the trap door that lead to the loft bedroom she'd lived in since she was a child. 

She smiled and patted his arm. "You worry too much. The stairs are perfectly safe, as safe as the ones in the rest of the house, and Papa moved my mattress down for me so I don't have to climb the ladder anymore. But I appreciate the concern." Leaning up on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek, and his expression softened as he took her hand to lead downstairs.

She still hadn't been able to contact Adrien, and though Alya and her parents still were convinced that he would come around, she was beginning to accept that he might not, much as it pained her. Luka however, didn't patronize her with empty platitudes, and had instead stepped up in a big way, doing a lot of the things she had hoped Adrien would.

He checked in with her daily to see how she was feeling, often bringing her treats when she had a craving for something specific. When Alya or her parents were unable to attend an appointment with her, he was there to help out. Today, he had made plans with her to take her out to lunch before going with her and Alya to a few baby stores to build a registry for the baby shower Alya and her mother were planning in a couple months.

All of those things were greatly appreciated, but it was the little things he did, like finding her a place to sit when she'd been on her feet too long, or sending her little articles he came across, or just stopping by with a small bunch of her favorite flowers when she was having a particularly rough day. She was already half in love with the man, and though she could tell he still cared about her, he never made a move.

She had asked him about it the other night, while they were cuddled up on the couch watching a movie. He'd told her in no uncertain terms that he had very strong feelings for her, but wouldn't dream of acting on them while she was still in such an emotionally compromising position, carrying another man's baby. Especially when there was still a possibility of Adrien coming back into her life.

He wanted both of them to be able to trust that her feelings were genuine and not simply brought on by gratitude or loneliness with all of the emotional chaos in her current situation. So, he would continue to be there for her, while giving her the space she needed to work out her own feelings and desires. To get over Adrien.

It was an unbelievably sweet and noble sentiment, though it was an occasional source of frustration as she began to discover some of the other_ interesting_ side effects of pregnancy that no one ever seemed to talk about. Like that fact that her raging hormones and sensitive body often had her in a state of agonizing_ want._

She couldn't even remember the night she had shared with Adrien, but even before that, it had been a very long time since she'd do much as kissed a man, and being so close to Luka all the time was driving her mad. Especially when the man insisted on being so damn chivalrous. 

Despite her best efforts to orchestrate an 'accidental' touch of anything other than her hands, back or face, Luka's hands never strayed anywhere even remotely inappropriate. If she didn't get some relief soon, it just might be the death of her.

As they passed through the bakery, Luka waved to her parents and accepted the list her mother handed him of essentials they needed to make sure were included in the registry. She looked back over her shoulder as they left, catching the soft look her mother wore. Her parents were just as smitten with Luka and everything he had done for her as she was. 

Lord, she was in trouble.

After grabbing lunch at a nearby café, they met Alya at the first store, exchanging copies of their lists, and grabbing scanner guns before they set off into the store. "I wish you already knew the baby's gender," Alya lamented as she looked over a selection of adorable stuffed animals. "Or what theme and colors you were using in the nursery. Would make this a lot easier."

"Well, we can manage the registry online right? Let's just add everything now, and then once we _do_ know, we can take things off."

"True, but it would still be more fun to say, scan a bunch of pink, unicorn shit, or zoo animals or whatever else you might pick."

"Red and black ladybugs," Luka muttered out the side of his mouth, smirking when Marinette elbowed him in his side. She'd still never told Alya or Nino about her former days as Paris' hero, despite the fact that the threat of Hawkmoth was long gone, and they were both her former teammates. Maybe one day she would, but not while they were in the middle of a department store.

They spent several hours wandering up and down isles, scanning nearly everything in sight. The initial excitement of the experience faded with the monotony of the task, but Luka was a trooper, never complaining, and offering genuine, thoughtful input when they debated the merits of one stroller over another or which blankets were softer. 

At one point in the day, he insisted they not add the wind-up mobile that played lullabies, saying it sounded too generic and mechanical. 

"Kind of wanted it to be a surprise, but I've been working on a set of instrumental lullabies to record. Could put them on a CD to play or have them installed on a custom mobile if that's what you want," he said, blushing adorably.

Both Alya and Marinette fairly melted into puddles.

"That is the cutest thing I ever heard," Alya sniffed. "I'll tell Nino about it, I'm sure he'll have some ideas and he'd love to help."

"That'd be awesome," he said, preening slightly when Marinette grabbed his face and planted a big kiss on his cheek.

* * *

Marinette opted not to do a gender reveal party, feeling they were kind of cheesy and overdone, not to mention a waste of money that could be spent on other things for the baby. So, instead, on the day of her appointment, the tiny room was filled with people as they watched the monitor and waited for the technician's verdict. 

When told she would be welcoming a baby boy come late February, her parents burst into tears. Nino fist pumped while Alya grumbled good-naturedly. Marinette met Luka's eyes across the room as her own filled with tears. He was too far for her to reach out and touch, but she could feel the warmth in his gaze as he smiled at her. He was happy for her. 

She was distracted when everyone began to give their input on nursery themes. Nino suggested superheroes, and Marinette's smile slipped slightly, her heart aching at the thought of pictures of Chat Noir hanging on the walls of her baby's room. Luka quickly countered with the idea of a music theme, while Alya suggested foxes. When Marinette announced her idea to use stars as the theme and have Nathaniel paint a mural of the night sky on the wall, everyone readily agreed.

The next several weeks passed in a blur and the holidays came and went. With a nursery theme set, Marinette reworked her registry, adding a few other items she'd found, and began picking out baby names. Everyone weighed in with their favorites before finally agreeing on Louis. And so, in January, Marinette found herself surrounded by friends and inundated with gifts as everyone celebrated the coming arrival of baby Louis Michel Dupain-Cheng.


	6. Chapter 6

As Marinette approached her due date, her belly continued to grow until she waddled when she walked and moving around in general became difficult. Luka became more attentive as she started feeling more uncomfortable, massaging her swollen feet and ankles at night, and buying her herbal teas and body pillows for when she had trouble sleeping. 

By far the hardest thing for her to deal with, however, was her out of control emotions.

About a month from her due date, she had a breakdown when she couldn't see her toes anymore and accidentally knocked over a dress form she was working on when she bumped it with her belly. Three weeks out, she burst into tears over baby socks. "They're so tiny, Alya!" And with just over two weeks to go, her parents finally convinced her to start her maternity leave so she could get more rest.

Alya and Nino were sitting with her one afternoon while her parents worked and she napped on the couch. Marinette woke with a start, gasping as she scrambled to her feet, sticky fluid seeping down her legs. Everyone was immediately on alert. Nino pulled out his phone to begin timing her contractions while Alya grabbed her hospital bag from her room and informed her parents and Luka that she was in labor. 

Tom and Sabine closed the bakery early to sit with their daughter, holding her hand as she groaned and panted through contractions as they waited until she was far enough along to head to the hospital. Luka, who'd been at a photo shoot all day (photography being a side gig while he worked on his music), burst through the door later that evening, panting heavily. And just in time to watch Marinette's face constrict in pain as another strong contraction hit her.

Nino looked up from his phone to announce that she was now at five minutes and her parents suggested they go ahead and leave. Luka scooped up her waiting bag as her parents helped her up and her father carried her down the stairs. 

Nino and Alya rushed out of the house after them all, waving them off after they loaded Marinette into a taxi and there was no room for them. While Alya flagged down another cab, Nino tried to call Adrien one last time, frustrated when he again got his voicemail. When he left a message this time, he didn't hold back.

"Adrien, it's Nino. _Again_. Look man, I know you've been dealing with shit, but this is getting ridiculous. You've been completely MIA for nine months now. I really hoped by now you'd have come to your senses, but I guess you aren't the stand up guy I thought you were. 

"Just thought you should know, we're on the way to the hospital now, with Marinette. You know... your_ wife_, who's about to have your_ son._ Thought you might be interested to know that. Don't worry though, she's in good hands. Her parents are here, so are Alya and I. Oh, and Luka. Remember him? Great guy. **Awesome** guy. Really stepped up to the plate when you dropped the ball. Not even his kid and he's already a better father than you. So, congrats man. Guess you weren't so different from your old man after all."

* * *

Luka paced back and forth across the waiting room, running his hands through his hair for the thousandth time. Nino and Alya sat in one corner, holding hands and distracting themselves with Netflix on Nino's phone. His mother and sister had also shown up to show their support. They both knew the baby wasn't his, but they both loved Marinette as much as he did, and were proud of him for filling in for the baby's absentee father.

He growled as he thought about Adrien, anger pulsing hot through his veins. _How could he have abandoned her like that_? Drunkenly, _selfishly_ take her virginity, knock her up in the process and then not even bother to respond to her texts or calls? 

Adrien had never struck as the type to abandon_ anyone_, let alone the mother of his child; especially considering the relationship he'd had with his own father. Luka would've thought he'd want to do better.** Be** better.

Shaking his head, he pushed the thought aside. It was no use dwelling on it now. For months, he'd waited for him to step up and take responsibility, for his son's sake at least, if not Marinette's. He couldn't say he was entirely sorry it hadn't happened. It allowed him the chance to get closer to her. But still, he knew it had broken her heart, still did. Even if she didn't take him back, it would've been nice to see him be a father.

His stomach turned knowing there would always be this connection between them. Not just the baby, either. They were still legally married. He'd looked into an annulment, but they would both have to sign the paperwork, and since Adrien was unreachable, that was impossible. Until he stopped being such a jackass, and either did the right thing, or let her go, she would forever be out of Luka's reach.

Marinette and her first love. He was enough of a romantic to know you never really got over your first, even if you did move on. He could hope though. Hope that once she let Adrien go for good, she might return his feelings for her. That they might be able to have a kind of makeshift family of their own. It didn't matter that Louis wasn't his son, he already loved that baby, just as much as he loved it's mother.

He tugged again on his hair, making the strands stick out in all directions. It was killing him being here, unable to do anything. They'd arrived at the hospital_ yesterday_. It had taken longer than expected for Marinette to be ready, and each moan of pain she made through her contractions felt like a punch to the gut. When they'd finally ushered everyone but her parents out, he'd felt a small bit of relief, knowing it would be over for her soon.

But that had been nearly five hours ago now. From the research he'd done, he knew that wasn't normal. His nerves were wrecked with worry and the longer they went without news, the more undone he became. Did something happen to the baby? To Marinette?

_Oh, God._ If he lost either one of them.... No. It didn't bear thinking about. They would be fine. They had to be. 

The doors opened, and just like every other time they had, the entire room turned to see who would get news next. Relief flooded him when he saw Tom in the door way, looking pale and exhausted, but smiling. They all rushed to his side.

"She's fine," he assured, holding up his hands. "They're both fine. But, it was a difficult labor. The baby was breeched, they had to- make some incisions to get him out. When they finally did, the umbilical cord was around his little neck and he wasn't breathing."

Luka's heart dropped. 

"But the nurses took care of him. He's a big, healthy,_ screaming_ baby boy."

A sigh of relief.

"They just stitched Marinette up, and both are resting. You should be able to see them in a couple hours."

"Oh, thank God," Alya said, practically collapsing into her husbands arms. 

Luka swallowed hard, feeling tears escape. He clutched his chest, willing his heart rate to slow down._ She's alright. She's fine. They're both fine._ He felt a big hand squeeze his shoulder and opened his eyes to see Tom looking at him.

"Thank you," the big man said with a shaky voice. "For being there for our baby girl. Especially since-" he shook his head, not saying what they were all thinking. "You've been there when she needed it, and we're very grateful. I hope you'll _keep_ being there."

Luka reached out to grasp the man's shoulder. "I'll be there as long as she'll have me," he said sincerely.

Tom pressed his lips together and nodded. He looked on the verge of tears himself as he let go of Luka and gave Nino and Alya a hug, waving to Juleka and his mother before headed back to Marinette's room.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, while Marinette recovered, she fell into a routine of sorts. With the stitches and all the bleeding, she wasn't really able to stand or move around much, so her parents ended up doing most of the heavily lifting for her at first. Louis had been well over seven pounds when he was born, a big baby for her petite frame, and a little too heavy for her to lift without risking hurting herself. 

For the first few days, the baby slept in a basinet next to the couch, since Marinette couldn't get up the stairs to her room. That way, when he woke for a feed in the middle of the night, she could manage mostly on her own. 

Tom continued running the bakery by himself for the first week while Sabine stayed upstairs helping Marinette, until Tom's mother Gina arrived for an extended stay and took over. Alya and Nino stopped by to help out for a few hours whenever they could, and Luka was at the house everyday for as long as he could manage. 

Marinette's friends and few of her coworkers visited in a steady stream for the first several days, delivering flowers and food, and generally stopping by to coo over Louis' adorableness. Marinette was beyond touched by all the love and support, her heart swelling with gratitude. 

A few weeks after giving birth, when she was able to move around better, Marinette found herself leaning over the baby's crib one night, just gazing at her son's sleeping face. Lashes fanned over chubby cheeks, soft and rosy, little lips parted, under a full head of dark hair. His tiny fists rested on either side of his head as he lay in his crib. 

Only moments ago had his eyes finally fluttered shut as he gave in to sleep. She knew from her research that baby's eye color could change anywhere from 6 months to a few years old. Right now though, with his dark hair and soft blue eyes, he was all Marinette. Her heart ached to think he may never develop any of his father's features. As angry as she was that Adrien hadn't been here to do this with her, that he was already missing so much of his son's life, she'd hoped she'd have some small part of him in Louis that she could see. Some small reminder of the boy she'd once loved. 

Tikki rested on her shoulder, gazing down at the baby with adoring eyes. The little kwami of creation had been Marinette's biggest bolster throughout everything. Always there to keep Marinette positive when she started to get down. Her enthusiasm for new life, and little displays of affection for both her and the baby were nearly enough to shatter her fragile heart.

She thought about Luka. How amazing he had been, not hesitating to help her with whatever she needed; from changing diapers, to keeping an eye on the baby so she could sleep. He was an incredibly sweet, and thoughtful man. The best kind of man. Exactly the kind she wanted in her son's life. 

She thought back to Luka's words about wanting more than her gratitude. She cared very much for him. Adored him. But she wasn't_ quite_ there yet. She knew that now. He'd been right, she'd been overwhelmed for months, confusing appreciation for love. She wanted to love him. Truly felt that she could. But first, she needed to finally face her feelings for the boy who'd held her heart for so long. The one who helped create the sleeping angel before her.

Her throat tightened as she blinked away tears.

It was time to let Adrien go.

  


* * *

Adrien pulled his phone from his pocket between meetings when he felt it buzzing. Seeing the name on the screen, he sighed and punched the ignore button. It had been some time since any of his friends had tried to reach out to him. He thought perhaps they'd finally given up on him. Some part of him, the part that still wanted to punish himself, hoped they would.

He'd never been able to bring himself to read any of their texts or listen to any of their voicemails. Whenever his box became full, he'd do a mass delete without checking any of them. He thought about changing his number, but couldn't bring himself to do it. Not yet. He supposed he still wanted some connection to his old life, however small. He used a different phone for his business calls so he never worried about missing any important messages. Anyone here who wanted to reach him would find a way. 

His phone buzzed again as the voicemail came through. He opened the visual voicemail box, brows raising when he saw how long the message was. His thumb hovered over the screen for a long moment as he debated with himself, tempted for once to actually listen. In the end though, he did the same thing he always did, and deleted it. 

Of all the people he'd lost contact with, it had hurt the most when he realized two months ago, that he had likely received his last message from Marinette. Her calls had been the most insistent at first, gradually tapering off over time until they only came every few weeks. The last one, came through on Christmas Day. He imagined her sweet smile as she wished him Merry Christmas, feeling his heart constrict painfully. 

He never did get a chance to talk to her about what had happened that night in Vegas. He had a fairly good idea, and was pretty sure she did too. More than ever, he wished he had the memories of that night to hold on to when he got lonely, but perhaps it was for the best.

Perhaps it was best for all of them that Adrien was gone. What good was he to any of them? 

The son of a terrorist, who'd killed his own father. 

No. They were all better off without him. 

Perhaps one day, he'd be able to forgive himself. Maybe then he would go home. Reach out to his friends, and beg their forgiveness. They were good people, he didn't deserve their forgiveness, but he knew they would likely give it anyway. That's the kind of people they were.

Which was exactly why he couldn't go back to them. Not yet.

With a heavy heart, he held down the power button on the device, watching at the screen turned black, before slipping it into his briefcase. When he got home that night, the phone was relegated to the back of a seldom used drawer in his apartment. There it would stay for the next five years.

****  
  
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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this concludes Part 1 😬  
There will likely be more of a hiatus through the next several weeks with the holidays coming up. At the very least, I probably won’t be updating quite as regularly, especially since I’m still working on part 2


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